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A review by zooloo1983
The Siren and the Specter by Jonathan Janz
5.0
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
O…M…G…
Ok, I think that I have got that out of my system! Maybe not… this book chilled me to the core.
Do me a huge favour, do not read this in bed late at night…do not read on your own, in fact, go and find a hot sunny patch and stay there until you finish it, I am being deadly serious! I was reading it at home in bed late at night, the boy is away and the little one is asleep, then I heard something. Through the walls, I could hear my little one talking in her sleep, great just as I come to a bit in the book which freaked me out to do with a little girl!!!!!!!!!!!
Before I go on to what I loved about the book, I had one gripe (sorry not a good choice of word there!) with it, and it was the first ending we get (I will explain this in a moment!) I thought it some things were just not explained clearly…or maybe I was reading too quickly to take it in. I was not clear on a couple of things but I didn’t let it dampen my review.
So let me tell you what I did love about the book…
EVERYTHING
This book was freaky and creepy and at times damn right frightening and I had goosebumps. Haunted houses always intrigue me and I will admit I am a believer of all things supernatural.
So, we open David Caine, a non-believer asked by a friend to stay in the house, not just any house but Alexander House and prove that the supernatural exists to make his friend’s wife happy (and rich!). David and his friend Chris, have a grief that weighs heavily on them both, a death of someone dear to them, Anna. David never properly grieved for her, and always felt he owed something back to her. Her story playing a part in this story in more ways that one.
He moves into the house for a month, and he is there to write his book. For a while, he does not go upstairs to the second floor (I don’t blame him) and all the while his subconscious is ridiculing him about why is he scared. Well when we do head upstairs in the Long room, it freaked David out. I am sorry but it FREAKED ME OUT! Sod David! I don’t care he lived it, I was sitting at home on my own what about me! (I am getting the chills just thinking about this book!). The detail we get, the descriptions of the room and the house, I was there seeing it, living it and breathing it!
The worst was meeting the Shelby’s, god what a messed up family completely but two quite cute kids. The family is terrifying and when you get to the end of the book and you realise how messed up they really, and it rocks you to the core.
It was also an interesting subplot to discuss a previous investigator, Weir, who apparently died in the house while writing about it. Reading his diary alongside David’s experience. There are so many characters in this book, but my gosh they all played a part in this story, and I loved Jessica and Ivy!
So a quick note about my comment to the first ending, well once we get over the ending of the book, you breathe a sigh of relief. Wait a minute…. just a minute…BAM it is over! You are left with an ending which just blind sighted me, and there was no fricking relief. I closed the book and thank god I had to rush out the door as I was meeting friends because I could not process it. I still don’t think I can!
So, yes I thoroughly recommend this book, it is a hair-tingling book and my god I want to jump right back into another of Jonathan’s book if this introduction was anything to go by! Wowee!!!!!!
Rumour has it that there is another tour coming up for one of his books…so fingers crossed I shall see you then.
O…M…G…
Ok, I think that I have got that out of my system! Maybe not… this book chilled me to the core.
Do me a huge favour, do not read this in bed late at night…do not read on your own, in fact, go and find a hot sunny patch and stay there until you finish it, I am being deadly serious! I was reading it at home in bed late at night, the boy is away and the little one is asleep, then I heard something. Through the walls, I could hear my little one talking in her sleep, great just as I come to a bit in the book which freaked me out to do with a little girl!!!!!!!!!!!
Before I go on to what I loved about the book, I had one gripe (sorry not a good choice of word there!) with it, and it was the first ending we get (I will explain this in a moment!) I thought it some things were just not explained clearly…or maybe I was reading too quickly to take it in. I was not clear on a couple of things but I didn’t let it dampen my review.
So let me tell you what I did love about the book…
EVERYTHING
This book was freaky and creepy and at times damn right frightening and I had goosebumps. Haunted houses always intrigue me and I will admit I am a believer of all things supernatural.
So, we open David Caine, a non-believer asked by a friend to stay in the house, not just any house but Alexander House and prove that the supernatural exists to make his friend’s wife happy (and rich!). David and his friend Chris, have a grief that weighs heavily on them both, a death of someone dear to them, Anna. David never properly grieved for her, and always felt he owed something back to her. Her story playing a part in this story in more ways that one.
He moves into the house for a month, and he is there to write his book. For a while, he does not go upstairs to the second floor (I don’t blame him) and all the while his subconscious is ridiculing him about why is he scared. Well when we do head upstairs in the Long room, it freaked David out. I am sorry but it FREAKED ME OUT! Sod David! I don’t care he lived it, I was sitting at home on my own what about me! (I am getting the chills just thinking about this book!). The detail we get, the descriptions of the room and the house, I was there seeing it, living it and breathing it!
The worst was meeting the Shelby’s, god what a messed up family completely but two quite cute kids. The family is terrifying and when you get to the end of the book and you realise how messed up they really, and it rocks you to the core.
It was also an interesting subplot to discuss a previous investigator, Weir, who apparently died in the house while writing about it. Reading his diary alongside David’s experience. There are so many characters in this book, but my gosh they all played a part in this story, and I loved Jessica and Ivy!
So a quick note about my comment to the first ending, well once we get over the ending of the book, you breathe a sigh of relief. Wait a minute…. just a minute…BAM it is over! You are left with an ending which just blind sighted me, and there was no fricking relief. I closed the book and thank god I had to rush out the door as I was meeting friends because I could not process it. I still don’t think I can!
So, yes I thoroughly recommend this book, it is a hair-tingling book and my god I want to jump right back into another of Jonathan’s book if this introduction was anything to go by! Wowee!!!!!!
Rumour has it that there is another tour coming up for one of his books…so fingers crossed I shall see you then.